Fine particulate matter includes both solid particles and liquid droplets (excluding water droplets) that are found in outdoor air. Fine particulate matter is also known as PM2.5 which refers to the size of the actual particles as 2.5 microns in diameter or less. Particulate matter may be emitted directly into the air or can form from pollutants that react in the atmosphere. Fine particulate matter tends to pose the greatest health concern because they can be inhaled into and accumulate in the respiratory system.

Sources of fine particle emissions include all types of combustion (motor vehicles, power plants, wood burning, etc.) and some industrial processes. Organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, ammonia and sulfur dioxide can react in the atmosphere to form secondary PM2.5. Secondary PM2.5 makes up the majority of fine particulate matter in the country.

Exposure to fine particulate matter can lead to a variety of health effects. For example, numerous studies link particle levels to increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits, and even to death from heart or lung diseases. Both short-term and long-term particulate matter exposures have been linked to health problems.

Short-term exposures for several hours or several days can aggravate lung disease, causing asthma attacks and acute bronchitis, and may also increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. To those with heart disease, short-term exposures have been linked to heart attacks and arrhythmias. Long-term exposure has been associated with problems such as reduced lung functioning and the development of chronic bronchitis and even premature death.

PM2.5 is the major cause of reduced visibility or haze in parts of the United States, including national parks and wilderness areas. Fine particulate matter can be carried long distances by wind and then settle on the ground or in the water. The settling or deposition can make water bodies acidic and can damage sensitive forests and farm crops.

The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter was lowered from 65 to 35 micrometers per cubic meter of air on December 18, 2006. Much of the state has measured values close to the standard, however; except for a small area of Muscatine County, Iowa’s air meets the current standard. The DNR will work with businesses determined to be contributing to the exceedances in Muscatine County and develop a plan to bring the area into compliance.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is an index for reporting daily air quality. It tells how clean or polluted your air is and what associated health effects may be experienced. Those health effects may be experienced within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. The AQI can be viewed here.

The DNR monitors air quality at locations throughout the state. Click here to learn more information on the ambient air monitoring program in Iowa.

If you live in Linn and Polk counties, go to one of the links below for real time data.

Linn County:
http://www.linncleanair.org/Content/Current-Air-Quality.aspx

Polk County:
http://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/airquality/Pages/Monitoring.aspx

There are a number of actions that individual Iowans, communities, and companies can take to help reduce the amount of fine particulate in our environment. Reducing fine particulate can help:

• Keep our air clean and reduce the number and severity of health related impacts.
• Keep our communities vibrant and growing by preventing “nonattainment” declarations and the stigma and growth limitations that accompany it.

The following sections suggest measures and strategies that individuals, local organizations, and business and industry can employ to help reduce PM2.5 concentrations locally and for neighbors living downwind.

• Can you carpool, take the bus, or ride your bike more often?
• Will you compost your leaves and put those nutrients on your garden?
• Will replacing your old furnace with a more efficient one save you money?

These are a few opportunities that will help reduce air pollution in your community. Click here for more ideas.

Opportunities abound for communities to help address existing and future air quality issues. Working to replace aging diesel fleets with new school buses, road maintenance vehicles, and higher fuel efficient biofuel or hybrid powered vehicles can have a significant impact on air quality. Providing incentives for greater use of mass transit, helping minimize open-burning and vehicle idling, and addressing community specific areas of concern can help maintain good air quality. Developing community-based plans for sustainable growth that consider air quality impacts will help assure appropriate air resource planning.

Here are excellent examples of communities that have formed these groups:

• Quad Cities Air Quality Task Force
• St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership
• Kansas City Clean Air Action Plan

Proactive steps can help promote good air quality, support community efforts, and save on energy costs. By developing mass-transit and carpooling incentives, providing employee education, developing specific operational plans for poor air quality days, managing fleets for best economy and fewer emissions, establishing idling limits appropriate to equipment use, and managing energy consumption to consider air quality and efficiency are just some of the ways business and industries can help. Consider joining the Blue Skyways Collaborative or other organizations that develop and support clean air practices. Click here for more information.

• PM2.5 Implementation Workgroup
• Blue Skyways Collaborative
• It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air
• Energy Star
• U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website
• EPA’s Smart Way website
• EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide
• EPA’s Particulate Matter website